Family portrait

[kal]

Hello,


This weekend I have my first paid job. A family portrait it will be taken at there home possibly indoors as the weather is bad. I have varied selection of lenses and two speedlites one leg softbox and one umbrella. What I am after is some guidance on perhaps posing of the group, the client has asked for more fun than formal. There is the parents and two daughters and a son ages of the kids are 18,20 & 21. Plus the girls fellas.
So any help or guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[12sndsgood]

Most libraries have books on posing. you could try pintrest or just google family portrait posing.

 

[runnah]

Do a few serious, then a few casual. Make sure to center the parents and have the kids around them. Also have people dress nice, no shirts with logos or words. Have people wear similar styles and maybe color palates.

 

[kal]

Thanks for your replies, I have tried google but a lot of the pics are of younger families. Good tip about the clothing, I will getthem to wear the same sort of colour tones if poss. Many thanks

 

[texkam]

If you are asking these types of questions, you shouldn't be charging yet. Only after you become reasonably comfortable that you can pull off a shoot should you begin charging. I don't think you would want your mechanic, plumber, electrician, computer repair tech, etc to be be asking on a forum how to do a job for you. Do you understand you have a handful of legal obligations to consider as well? Uncle Sam will want his share. Do the shoot for free, but only after making sure expectations are understood up front.

 

[kundalini]

Think of a pyramid when forming your group for any formal shots. Try not to have large gaps between the heads and have them fill in those gaps by adjusting their pose. This may require boosters for small children and the taller individuals may need to bend their knees a little.

If they want fun shots, I think their clothing should emulate this. However, I would suggest to avoid black trousers and white tops if possible.

There was an article in the February issue of Rangefinder magazine that you might find interesting about family shoots.
Rangefinder - February 2013

 

[kal]

Hi texkam thanks for the reply but I disagree with the asking questions part. An apprentice in a garage still gets paid for learning on the job. My pay is very minimal petrol costs and charge for the print paper. I have not done a shoot with all adults before so was asking for some guidance and ideas.

 

[kal]

Thanks kundalini, great article very helpful.

Cheers

 

[texkam]

I always love the way so many of these OPs end up backpedaling. :/

I'm in total agreement with you on the asking questions part. Asking questions here is a great way to get "some guidance and ideas". I never suggested not to ask questions, but rather called you out for implying that you were a doing the shoot as a paid professional without having the necessary experience. Had you been clear you were simply being reimbursed for out of pocket charges, my response would have been much different. Yes, an apprentice in a garage still gets paid for learning on the job, but they have a responsibility to not pass themselves off as qualified professional. If your client understands your capabilities, or possible lack thereof, then that's fine. Good luck with your shoot. It will give you great experience. In regards to your questions, the replies you have received are spot on. Feel free to post your results.

 

[12sndsgood]

Hi texkam thanks for the reply but I disagree with the asking questions part. An apprentice in a garage still gets paid for learning on the job. My pay is very minimal petrol costs and charge for the print paper. I have not done a shoot with all adults before so was asking for some guidance and ideas.

An apprentice is learning along side a pro or qualified instructer. is there going to be a qualified person along with you to take care of things if you screw up on the job? if not then the apprentice angle really doesnt work in this instance.

 

[kal]

If I had a pro with me then I wouldn't need any guidance. All was trying to say that it was the first time I had been offered any cash for my work and so I wanted to give them the best I could do with as few hiccups as poss. Again thanks for the replies